Oliver Plunketts Cooley Kickhams
COOLEY Kickhams limped through to the IFC knockout stages with more questions than answers to ponder between now and the quarter-finals in mid-August.
Chief among them after this lacklustre display is whether they are capable of dislodging one of the group winners in the last eight, as they now look destined to advance as runners-up behind Oliver Plunketts.
Take nothing away from the Drogheda outfit, who discovered a bit of form just when they really needed it, plundering a thoroughly deserved victory over their Division 1 opponents.
Mickey Matthews’ troops had only managed three wins and a draw from 10 league outings this season, but this was as comprehensive as a five-point win can possibly get, as his side completely dominated the second period to win pulling away.
But while Cooley advance thanks to the old three-teamgroup anomaly of winning their first game by more than they lost their second, Plunketts still have a bit of work to do to rubber-stamp their passage to the last eight.
A seven-point defeat (or more), to Glen Emmets would send the Tullyallen men through alongside Cooley, and that in itself poses a potential headache for Matthews and his selectors.
In theory the game has to be treated as a winner-takes-all showdown, but in practice the so-called ‘safety net’ of being able to lose by up to six points can pose serious psychological risks.
More of the same will be the order of the day in the wake of this victory, however.
Plunketts comfortably kept pace with Cooley in the opening half without ever hitting the front themselves.
The sides were level four times as Brian White, Gerry Malone, Aoghain McGuinness and White again had points wiped out by Davy Lambe, Dean Carolan, and Kevin Keogh, with a brace.
Cooley did open a two-point cushion with two more points from White, one from play, but it was delicately poised at the break as they retired with a 6-4 lead.
If Cooley were setting the pace somewhat before the interval, the momentum swung entirely in the other direction in the second-half as Plunketts seized the initiative.
A lightning start worked wonders for their self belief too, as within four minutes of the re-start they were two points ahead and already appearing the more likely victors.
Andy Morgan and Adam Brodigan rattled off the first two to draw the Mell men level and Robbie Brodigan and Kevin Keogh added another two in quick succession to make it 0-8 to 0-6.
A couple of frees from White got Cooley back on terms but it was a brief reprieve as the trusty left boot of Morgan yielded a quick brace before Trevor Walsh converted a